Kenya Airports Authority to auction private planes over parking fees

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has issued a 30-day notice to tycoons and government institutions that have abandoned their 101 private aircraft at various airports in the country. 

According to the authority, the abandoned planes were a safety risk in the airports and should the owners fail to pay their parking fees then they will be subjected to a public auction. 

In a report by the Business Daily, the planes include those owned by local tycoons, politicians and others belonging to private companies running commercial aircraft.

Among private firms whose planes risk being auctioned include but not limited to 748 Air Services, Silverstone, Jetlink and Fly540. 

Others are owned by state institutions such as the Kenya Police, Moi University and Somalia Airforce which risk being sold when the auctioneer’s hammer falls after September 14. 

“The said aircraft will be sold by public auction and the proceeds of sale shall be defrayed against any incurred charges and the balance if any shall remain at the owners’ credit but should there be a shortfall, the owner shall be liable thereof,” said KAA acting managing director Alex Gitari in the latest Kenya Gazette notice. 

In the local airports, the largest aircraft pay KSh2,707 daily to park at airports like Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and KSh63,355 and KSh76,000 to land during the day and night respectively.

Small planes are charged KSh1,625 daily parking fees and KSh 24,150 and KSh29,000 for landing during the day and night respectively. 

The abandoned planes are parked at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Moi International Airport in Mombasa, Lokichoggio Airport and Wilson Airport. 

There are 17 aircraft in JKIA including a KSh 2 billion Bombardier plane belonging to Jetlink, two Soviet-built passenger planes owned by Somali Airforce and two old Boeing plane registered under Jubba Airways. 

Wilson Airport hosts more than half or 64 of the targeted planes, with five linked to the Kenya Police Airwing, Fly540, Skylink, Silverstone and Moi University. 

Others belong to individuals and investors operating small chartered short flights targeting the rich.